Цвет из иных миров

           Thereseemedvirtuallynothingtodotocalmthem,andwhenNahumopenedthestabledoortheyallboltedoutlikefrightenedwoodlanddeer.Ittookaweektotrackallfour,andwhenfoundtheywereseentobequiteuselessandunmanageable.Somethinghadsnappedintheirbrains,andeachonehadtobeshotforitsowngood.NahumborrowedahorsefromAmmiforhishaying,butfounditwouldnotapproachthebarn.Itshied,balked,andwhinnied,andintheendhecoulddonothingbutdriveitintotheyardwhilethemenusedtheirownstrengthtogettheheavywagonnearenoughthehayloftforconvenientpitching.Andallthewhilethevegetationwasturninggreyandbrittle.Eventheflowerswhosehueshadbeensostrangeweregreyingnow,andthefruitwascomingoutgreyanddwarfedandtasteless.Theastersandgoldenrodbloomedgreyanddistorted,andtherosesandzinneasandhollyhocksinthefrontyardweresuchblasphemous-lookingthingsthatNahum’soldestboyZenascutthemdown.Thestrangelypuffedinsectsdiedaboutthattime,eventhebeesthathadlefttheirhivesandtakentothewoods.

           BySeptemberallthevegetationwasfastcrumblingtoagreyishpowder,andNahumfearedthatthetreeswoulddiebeforethepoisonwasoutofthesoil.Hiswifenowhadspellsofterrificscreaming,andheandtheboyswereinaconstantstateofnervoustension.Theyshunnedpeoplenow,andwhenschoolopenedtheboysdidnotgo.ButitwasAmmi,ononeofhisrarevisits,whofirstrealisedthatthewellwaterwasnolongergood.